Santa Fe Trail
Visalia
- Tulare County officials, including Supervisors Pete Vander Poel
and Phil Cox, got an earful from landowners along the path the county
wants to create a Santa Fe Trail linking Tulare's with Visalia's.
At a workshop intended to get ideas from residents as to how the trail should be constructed, property owners loudly protested moving forward with any aspect of the trail – most vowing to never sell their land to the county.
The Tulare County Association of Governments, which manages Measure R funds – the county sales tax for roads, transit and trails – is proposing linking Tulare and Visalia with a 5.5 mile long trail similar to what Tulare constructed through its city and to what Visalia is planning to construct through its city. Both Tulare's and Visalia's trail will run along the Santa Fe railroad right-of-way – in most areas abandoned expect for a portion through and south of Visalia.
However, to take that trail from Tulare to Visalia, the county will have to acquire the right-of-way and those landowners at last Thursday's meeting strongly said they do not want the trail.
“We don't want to sell. It would cost us $10,000 a year,” said Pam Machado, who along with her husband, Ron, own about eight-tenths of a mile along the proposed route from Prosperity Avenue in Tulare north along the Tulare Irrigation District ditch.
Her husband said Thursday night's meeting was the fifth he has attended about the plan and at each one he has told county officials he would not sell his property for the trail. He said he first learned about the route when surveyors were surveying his property.
“I'm fuming. This is a waste of taxpayers' dollars,” he said. He is the third generation of his family to farm at that site and fears the trail would impact his farming operations.
Vander Poel tried to calm the crowd by saying that no decision had been made regarding the trail, that the meeting was only to get input from those interested.
“I am here not for or against it. I'm here as part of the process,” he said. When asked if he would favor eminent domain – taking of the land through the courts – Vander Poel said he would be hesitant to use such a process for a trail.
Doug Cardoza, who has property adjacent to the trail, said his concern is for his neighbors and the access that people will have to his and their property.
Frank Alves, another opponent, said he was not “anti-progress” but the trail would have a negative impact on the farmers. He owns about a quarter-mile of the proposed route and he does not want to sell.
Many of those who spoke are concerned that once the trail is in place, they will be restricted in their farming practices, especially the use of chemicals and cultivation.
Mike Sherrord with RRM Design, the consultant hired by the county on the project, got caught in the crossfire after he outlined the plans for the trail that would first run along the TID ditch, then along the old Santa Fe rail alignment and finally adjacent to the old rail that is still used – be it only once or twice a month.
From Prosperity Avenue in Tulare to Oakdale Avenue, the trail will be a Rail to Trail Project and from that point to Avenue 272 – where Visalia's project will end – it will be a Rail and Trail project. It will be an off road, paved trail for bicycles and pedestrians and from Prosperity to Oakdale will include an equestrian trail.
Sherrord said they may place a small park with some parking at Oakdale where horse riders will be able to load or unload their horses.
“The reason we wanted you to come here tonight is to help us make this better,” Sherrord said before being bombarded with questions from landowners.
“You're putting the horse before the cart,” charged Greg Shelton, who does not own property along the proposed route but who said he had a similar experience in Porterville where his land was basically taken from him.
“People are being blindsided. This is what they did to me in Porterville. They already had a plan before they had the property,” he charged.
Not everyone at the meeting was opposed to the trail.
Vicki Stasch, who served on the Measure R Committee, said she supports the trail and that she would support a chain link fence to protect the private property along the route. She said the trail is needed to improve the quality of life and to attract businesses to the region.
“And, 20 years from now that potentially could be a light rail corridor,” to connect Visalia and Tulare, she added.
Ted Smalley, executive director of TCAG, said the county will proceed with the project and the next step is to have an environmental study done. He said statements that no property owners are willing to sell is not completely accurate, but he did not state which property owners are willing to sell. He did say no final decisions have been made.
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